The present invention relates to luggage and luggage components and, in particular, to briefcases of the type including a box and a lid hinged thereto.
Luggage, such as a briefcase, for example, typically includes a box and a hinged lid along with one or more manually actuable latches for securing the lid closed. It is common to provide springs, separate from the latch and hasp, which serve to pop-open the lid when the hasp becomes unlatched, in order to facilitate raising of the lid. However, the provision of such separate springs and their assemblage in the luggage increases the overall cost and complexity of the luggage.
In luggage employing a hinged lid there is often provided one or more stays in the form of pivoted links which are connected between the box and lid in order to secure the lid in an open position. Such a linkage is disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,235 issued on Sept. 19, 1978 to Remington, and includes a pair of links which are interconnected at adjoining ends by a rivet, the latter serving also as a pivot pin for the links. A metal washer provides frictional resistance to swiveling, and a spring biased metal ball enters a recess in one of the links to hold the links in a lid-open position. Linkages of that type, which involve metal-to-metal contact are subject to considerable friction-induced wear so that after repeated usage, the parts become loose and unable to perform suitably.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to minimize or obviate shortcomings of the type noted above.
Another object is to provide luggage in which a hinged lid pops-up upon being unlatched, without the use of separate spring members.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a stay for a hinged lid which eliminates metal-to-metal contact and minimizes frictional wear.
A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for mounting a handle to the luggage.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a novel foot or base upon which the luggage rests when in a standing upright position.